The Invincible M.A.E.

I miss Marco Sturm

Bucci:I miss Marco Sturm. I miss that gigantic, electric smile after he scores a goal. I miss that speed that advertises how much joy skating brings him and how much he loves the game. I reckon the Sharks miss that, too. This team doesn't seem to have a dominant leader, which can be a good thing. Andrew Brunette of the Minnesota Wild told us in this space last year that the democracy of the Wild dressing room made for a loose, harmonious setting. No cliques. High comfort level. San Jose is probably a lot like Minnesota in that regard. But there will come a time when a team needs a personality to ride. I've picked the Sharks the whole way so far. Over the Blues, Avs and Flames. But if they get to the final, I think they would fall short without Sturm. If I put him on my Titleist, I'll think of the childlike joy his game brings him. And that's what I'll need on Thursday.

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One way athletes from the U.S. differ from Canadian athletes, specifically hockey players, is that Canadian hockey players call their coaches by their first names, while U.S. athletes call their coaches "coach." For life.